Black Blood
by Lulu Mercury
Summary: Black Blood catches up with every Black, sooner or later. There is no escaping that poison.


Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't't belong to me but to JK Rowling. They are her characters, and we like playing with them ;)

The world is not split into good people and bad people; even those whose souls are tainted with the blackest shade of darkness are more than darkness. Tourjours Pur, Always Pure, was the Black family philosophy, yet that did not stop a rebelling Sirius and Andromeda. We are governed by our choices. They shape us, and they shaped the 'black' sheep in the Black family. Despite this families obsession with purity, the family had produced the rarities of decent people, whose names were burnt off the Black Family Tree. They were no longer considered family, but the Black blood ran through each of their veins - through Bellatrix, Narcissa, Andromeda, Regulus, Sirius, Nymphadora and Draco…their was no escaping it, and that Black blood caught up with every single Black, in the end.

**The Price of Black Blood**

Everybody knew that the Black Manor was grand and that those who occupied it were magnificent. The blood in their veins was ancient and pure, and they would always be pure. The Black family were a family to be jealous of, envious of…a family to admire and aim to be. The Ancient and most Noble house of Black stood in the same regard and the occupants of Black Manor and Grimauld Place frequently visited one another, mingling and grooming their Blacks to be superior witches and wizards of their age. They were to carry out the ancient traditions of their family with the utmost pride. After all, being a Black made you practically royal.

'Dearest Narcissa, do you have any idea where Sirius got to? Dinners about to begin.' Orion, a tall man who greatly resembled Sirius, yet with the same slightly upturned noses as his nieces, Narcissa and Bellatrix.

'He said earlier he was going up to his bedroom…I'll go tell him dinners ready, then.' she drawled, a mixture of stiffness and sweetness. Narcissa swept up the many spiky stairs, raking her soft, white hands, along the silver serpent rail. It's body was cold as her hands, glinting under the bright chandelier. Her emerald silk dress scraped the edge of every step, as she passed the first, second, and third floors, finally arriving at the topmost floor where Sirius and Regulus slept. The stairs were perfectly clean and gleaming, so Narcissa did not worry that her dress dipped on every step; it was not as if dust would destroy her perfect gown - Kreature cleaned flawlessly.

She glanced momentarily at the door that read "Do Not Enter Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black" and wondered if Regulus was brooding in his bedroom.

The door to Sirius' room creaked open and she peered inside, sure enough, finding the boy perched on his bed with a sour look on his face.

'What's wrong, Siri? And why aren't you dressed for dinner?' she asked, perching herself on the bed.

Gryffindor banners had not yet been plastered on his walls to highlight his difference, but fine, carved furniture and wall hangings surrounded the room; emerald green velvet curtains fell to the ground, framing huge windows, overlooking London below. He looked about ten years old.

'You don't know how lucky you, Cissy. You're able to get away to Hogwarts - how can you stand it here, or at your manor? Our parents are not like other parents. Who cares about being pure blood anyway? Why are they so obsessed with it? Why do they agree with…with…Voldemort?! He's a bad man.' Sirius said, sitting up and looking into her eyes intensely. The words rushed from his mouth like a chaotic river.

Narcissa gasped.

'They - are family traditions! How _dare_ you question them? And how dare you speak his name?! Sirius, what has gotten into you?' she asked, outraged. An expression of anxiety was ghosted over her polished features.

'I think Andromeda's right. You're wrong.' he said stubbornly.

'Meda?' Narcissa gasped. 'what…what has she said?'

Sirius just looked at Narcissa blankly.

'NARCISSA! REGULUS! SIRIUS! DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE!' roared Walburga. The cousins jumped, and were never surprised that her screeching voice could reach four floors.

The Blacks were seated at the narrow and long, emerald clothed table. Bellatrix seemed to be drinking in every word spoken about their favourite topic: Purity.

'I don't think there is a family alive more pure than the Blacks…' Walburga drawled.

'Oh, I don't know about that, dear. The Malfoys come pretty close.' Orion stated, and Narcissa's head shot up.

'Narcissa's liiikes Lucius Malfoy!' Bellatrix exclaimed. She looked as beautiful as ever, wearing a black velvet and lace dress, with her black silky hair tied neatly in a bun. Her black eyes twinkled. Narcissa glared at Bellatrix, who smirked in return.

'That's simply wonderful! We always knew you had excellent taste!' Walburga boomed.

'Why did you not tell us, Cissy?' asked her mother Druella, who had the face of Bellatrix and Andromeda, the sisters who could have passed for twins. 'I agree Walburga. Our Narcissa has always made us proud.' Druella stated, as a flush crept into Narcissa's face. Bellatrix's beautiful face was contorted in silent rage, at the mention of 'proud'

'I - didn't … well, it's not like we are an item!.' she said hotly, and for the first time, caught sight of Andromeda, who had been seemingly slinking into the wallpaper somehow. Andromeda was looking at Narcissa with a soft glow of pity in her warm, brown eyes. Walburga's eyes followed Narcissa's, and she huffed.

'Cissy's only in third year and already got the right idea, about the right kind of connections and blood purity to marry into!' Narcissa felt like sinking through the universe. What Sirius had said suddenly hit her like bricks. She found she did not care that Lucius was a pureblood, she liked him because she saw herself in him; yet his confidence was something he had, that she did not.

'And Bella has been dating Lestrange for a year and a half - she knows how proud that made us! But why hasn't Andromeda connected herself with someone of high pureblood ranking?' Walburga asked, narrowing her icy blue eyes at Andromeda. Sirius rolled his eyes, and Regulus looked thoroughly bored, as he ate his roast in his usual gloomy silence.

As much as Andromeda resembled Bellatrix, it was her expression that set them apart. Bellatrix wore a 'I am better than you' face; an expression of supreme arrogance. Narcissa was split in two, always duel natured. Her face was often self-importance mingled with uncertainty. Andromeda stared at her family blankly. Her face, so like Bella's, was softer, much kinder.

'Oh, leave Meda alone' Cygnus, her father chuckled. There was an uncanny likeness between Cygnus and Narcissa; he had her soulful blue eyes, her white hair, and her delicate frame. Dark circles of sleepless nights shadowed under his eyes. Cygnus nervously gulped his red wine at the glare received by Druella.

'No, their aunt is right, _darling_. It's about time she found a nice pureblood boyfriend, then they can get married after Hogwarts. With my precious Bella, I never had to set her up with a well-to-do partner. She was clever enough to enchant Lestrange who will make a perfect husband and now our darling Cissy has her eye a Malfoy no less!' she turned her perfectly graceful face to Narcissa and spoke, 'I would say a good time to charm him would be your fifth year…you don't want to come across as a young tramp, too eager.' Andromeda looked at her mother in disgust, and despite the plastered look of proud agreement on Narcissa's face, she felt her stomach twist. Druella turned a disdainful eye to her middle daughter. 'You would do well to follow in your sisters footsteps! If you will not actively seek someone, I will have to introduce you to -"

Andromeda's elegant face turned white.

"What is wrong with you? With all of you? Do you realize that…if you only ever married purebloods, you would…become _inbred?" _Druella gasped. Bellatrix snarled. Walburga glared. Narcissa looked extremely worried as she glanced at her sister, but Sirius snorted, chuckling about 'retard pureblood children'

"Shut up, Sirius" Regulus sneered from across the table.

"No. Meda's right. It's hilarious… and guess what? Muggleborns…are not muggles pretending to be witches and wizards! You can't steal magic, isn't that right Andromeda?"

Narcissa groaned.

"You're poisoning his mind!" yelled Walburga.

"What did you say? Are you a filthy muggle lover? Even half bloods are a disgrace! How dare you, how dare you, you horrible little upstart!" Druella snarled.

"I do have a boyfriend and his name is Ted Tonks. He's a MUGGLE BORN. And he's as magic as we all are. The good thing about Hogwarts, mother, is that it expands your mind. You see what people are really like, and realize that your family were bias, condescending, _liars."_

"A MUDBLOOD!" screeched Druella over Walburga and Bellatrix's hisses.

"GET OUT! AND NEVER COME BACK YOU BLOOD TRAITOR!" Walburga hissed. Orion and Cygnus's faces were shadowed by shock; but they did not look livid. Cygnus's blue eyes were far away, then he looked as his middle child with a flicker of pity. It did not go unnoticed by Andromeda, and she looked at her father - hoping he would stand up for her.

His silence said it all.

"I am glad to be leaving -" she started, as she stood up, regal looking as any Black, with the flicker of disappointment, mingled with disgust, on her face.

"Don't you dare come back to the Manor. I only have two daughters now."

Strangely, Druella's words did not cut a hole in Andromeda's heart. She swept out of the room, and Narcissa never saw the sister she had _always_ loved, ever again. Sirius, despite being a child, knew too well what his family had done. They had disowned a Black. And he knew, that without a doubt, tomorrow morning, they would act like nothing had happened. Andromeda Black would not be mentioned. Walburga would burn her off the Family Tree. Andromeda Black would be a ghost. Sirius Black realized, as he ate the remainder of his roast, feeling Regulus' suspicious eyes on him, that he also, would never live up to the Black name.

_In the end, Black Blood caught up with even Andromeda. The blood that ran through her veins was the same blood as her family; and they were mere strangers. Blood was thicker than water, yet Bellatrix had no regrets when she killed Andromeda's favourite cousin Sirius. The only other good Black. The only other Black who had the courage to make the right choice, and prove that it did not matter who you were, where you were from and the family you had - you always had a choice. Even memories of herself and Sirius before the fallout, did not stop Bellatrix murdering her own flesh and blood. For a family that placed so much emphasis on blood, on purity, on family…she had no qualms about killing a Black. She failed to remember herself as an untainted, innocent child, playing with Sirius, laughing with him…_

_Black Blood caught up with Bella; she died because of the blood that ran through her veins. That blood gave you two choices and two choices only. Follow your family traditions, never waver off the path that has always been, and only associate with purebloods…or leave your family and defy everything they stand for. Either way, you are doomed. Generations of Blacks will tell you, being a Black is never easy._

_Black Blood caught up with Narcissa. She lost two sisters and she had to endure her son immerse himself with the Dark Lord and pay for Lucius' mistake. All loyalty to Voldemort vanished as soon as Draco was endangered. She saved Harry's life, and Harry saved theirs. They escaped Azkaban, but paid the price of being shunned and rejected. All their friends were now dead or in Azkaban for life, and they only had each other now…that was the price of Black Blood. _

_Black Blood caught up with Draco, and he was given choices until the very end. He now tries to pick up the remainders of his life, isolated and frightened…_

_Black Blood caught up with Nymphadora, for her death._

_Sirius and Andromeda were two Blacks that took a chance, and paid for it. No one paid a heavier price than Andromeda, the middle Black sister. She did not die, but all those she loved did. Her dear husband, her beautiful, darling daughter, and her son-in-law were all dead and gone because and her own flesh and blood, Bellatrix and Narcissa, were part of the reason why she was paying the biggest price of all. She would have welcomed death, but had Teddy to care for. '_At least Narcissa has her family', _she thought bitterly. '_While I have nothing…nothing at all but the pain I have endured since my last visit at The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.'

_Blood was thicker than water. Black Blood was poisonous. And there was no escaping it._


End file.
